Marvel & Netflix Confirm Deal For 4 TV Shows & ‘Defenders’ Miniseries

Just yesterday we again discussed the topic of crossover potential between superheroes from Marvel Studios’ slate of films with other popular heroes owned by rival studios Fox and Sony. For Marvel, there’s admittedly no rush to join forces with other studios since they have a vast library of Marvel Comics characters and stories to tap into first. Today we see exactly what they mean.

In the film business, Marvel Studios accomplished something never before seen, building a shared cinematic universe with a series of interconnected films beginning with 2008′s Iron Man and big screen team-ups (The Avengers). On the television side, they’re attempting to push the envelope as well with Marvel TV signing a landmark agreement with Netflix.

Confirming a report from three weeks ago indicating that Marvel is developing four TV shows and a miniseries (a total of 60 potential episodes) and pitching it to various networks, Disney-Marvel and Netflix have joined forces for exactly this. In what’s described as an “unprecedented deal,” Netflix is expanding their partnership with Disney after signing an agreement last year for first-run rights to their movies in the U.S. beginning in 2016 – which does of course include Marvel Studios properties and whatever’s in the pipeline from newer acquisition Lucasfilm.

The new deal will see Netflix exclusively airing original Marvel live-action TV programming based in the “gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell’s Kitchen, New York.” This will begin in 2015 with Daredevil, an intellectual property reacquired by Marvel Studios from Twentieth Century Fox last year. Jessica Jones, previously talked about as a potential ABC series, is next on the list, followed by other fan-favorite characters in Iron Fist and Luke Cage.

Iron Fist and Luke Cage are Heroes for Hire

In addition to the four series, the agreement will also see a live-action miniseries TV event based around The Defenders which could potentially bring together the above-mentioned characters along with heroes from the films, assuming they – like Agents of SHIELD – take place in the same universe which they likely will. Alan Fine, President of Marvel Entertainment:

“This deal is unparalleled in its scope and size, and reinforces our commitment to deliver Marvel’s brand, content and characters across all platforms of storytelling. Netflix offers an incredible platform for the kind of rich storytelling that is Marvel’s specialty. This serialized epic expands the narrative possibilities of on-demand television and gives fans the flexibility to immerse themselves how and when they want in what’s sure to be a thrilling and engaging adventure.”

Fine’s words confirm that just like other original Netflix programming, these shows will offer the unique benefit of allowing viewers to watch all episode of a season/series in one marathon-style sitting. Unlike on ABC with Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, each season doesn’t need to be a full 20+ episodes stretched out over an extended period of time, weaving in and out of the continuity of the films. An episode of Agents of SHIELD coming later this month, as an example, is based on the aftermath of the events in Thor: The Dark World and rumor has it the show’s final episodes will directly tie into next April’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

I like this, BUT I would prefer to see the Defenders at the movies. Marvel has already introduced the Hulk in the MCU, along with Doctor Strange coming soon. I believe they have the rights to the Silver Surfer (and Galactus), because Fox took too long, to decide what they were going to do with Daredevil, so when they needed to extend the deadline with Marvel, they offer Silver Surfer and Galactus in return to Marvel. I know I read this somewhere online, so let me know if I’m right or wrong on this guys.

Anyways, they could introduce Valkyrie in perhaps Thor 3 and have a Sub-Mariner movie and then you can do a Defenders film; but as I mentioned earlier, I would prefer to see the Defenders on the big screen, but I can and perhaps will watch it on Netflix, if this indeed comes to fruition.

No, Fox still has the rights to the Silver Surfer and Galactus though Marvel/Disney has made attempts at buying the rights back, as of now Fox isn’t selling, which sucks because Marvel would, I believe, use these characters to their potential. Two of my favorite characters.

Fox didn’t do the deal with Silver Surfer so he’s still there. Plus Universal has rights to Sub-Mariner. I’m thinking you might have Doc Strange in there and possibly Hulk but I wouldn’t get your hopes up.

Michael Jai White and Scott Adkins MUST BE Heroes for Hire. There are no two other guys out there who fit Power Man and Iron Fist better than these two. they are superb martial artists and great friends in real life. Plus MJW already kind of played Luke Cage in Black Dynamite and you need a real martial artist for Iron Fist and Adkins is currently the best in business.

I’m so hyped for this. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities. This could also help Agents of SHIELD as well. This means more and more Marvel heroes and villains can appear. Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Matt Murdoch and Danny Rand can all cross over into AoS as well as other well known characters and vice versa. Graviton can be a villain that the Defender’s fight and AoS can bring in lesser known characters like Chemistro, The Serpent Society, Blizzard, Red Ghost, Purple Man and Bullseye to set them up for Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones and Daredevil without worrying if the movies are going to use them. Plus they can reference a whole lot of things like Kunlun and The Hand.

I don’t know. My concern is that they would “go cheap” like they clearly have with “Agents of SHIELD”. What is making comic book movies work is the artistic abilites, creativity that can be displayed on a big screen…

As mentioned in the article, the programs will be airing on Netflix, which is slowly killing network television with these types of deals. Let’s face facts why Agents of Shield has under performed, primetime viewing, and it also airs on ABC. Execs and advertisers want something something that is PC, so they don’t have to deal with select audiences that complain. Which is why they’re making it appealing as possible, but in reality it is killing the show. I still think they can bounce back and create a successful and engaging show (On ABC), but they have to kick some cooks out of the kitchen first and have faith. ABC seems to be under the mindset of the early days of CBM movies, just make every one really pretty, and give them a very so-so story. People will eat that stuff up.

Plus, the characters they chose for this deal keeps the special effects budget down.

The highlight of this announcement for me is one word “serialized”…
I just can’t get into case of the week shows anymore.
I’ll still watch a few here and there but normally I just can’t get invested when I know that at the end of each episode the bad guy will be caught or the case will be solved.
So reading that one word immediately changes my reaction from oh that’s cool to WOW, I’m excited.

THEY WONT.
Disney owns marvel and they WILL NOT have mature material from the movies/tv shows. Ever wonder why AOS has no risks or barely any violence? Because Disney doesn’t want their brand to become an adult oriented brand.
Don’t expect a super mature show guys.

this is the perfect time for Marvel to release more mature material. The only one of these properties that excites me is Heroes For Hire, I have been waiting for luke cage and ironfist for some time now. I just hope its better than agents of shield

Touchstone and miramax are film Studios, not TV stations. Hulu while upcoming is not as big as netflix and Disney just signed a new deal with Netflix. This solidifies it.

Netflix has a much more limited audience than ABC. if they wanted to make a show that will appeal to everyone and make money. It would be on a network station like that.

Netflix produces series like House of cards and Orange is the New Black, both of which are adult oriented. It only makes sense that marvel is going this route because they want to go grittier than they do with the MCU

OK, so Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage, plus a side-order of Defenders. I knew it as far as the first four go, that we would be seeing them on TV soon! Not real familiar with Jessica Jones (wasn’t she one of a couple female detectives that hung around with Cage and Fist in the early comics? My mind fails me on that point). Pumped for all of these. But are Fist and Cage going to be two seperate shows, or band together as heroes For Hire? Will those four shows have cross-overs between each other? Who would be members of The Defenders team (I never followed that one in the comics, although for some reason I am thinking Captain America, the Torch android, and Sub-Mariner were in there, and occasionally a couple British and minor heroes, or am I mixing it all up? Maybe also Dr. Strange? My mind train-wrecks a bit on Defenders, so help me out a nit there, anyone. Thanx!

PS (I really love Netflix, so that is icing on the cake that they are involved as well as Marvel/Disney. Speculation: does anyone think we will ever see a cable channel dedicated all to superhero-type movies, show, and properties, or at least one just Marvel owns? Could cable have a big enough audience to support this?).

Ah, I was a little mixed-up. I was thinking of “The Invaders” as the WW2 team of Cap, android Torch, and Sub-Mariner, plus several others on occaision. “Defenders” were variously Hulk, Dr. Strange, Sub-mariner, and a number of others.

Yes, Disney owns Marvel. Yes, there is a possibility that the shows would not be as gruesome. However…the avengers wasn’t particularly gruesome. It was still pretty awesome. There is a reason why all the properties chosen are grounded heroes. They would certainly deal with a lot of stuff. There is a real possibility that this could be a more mature show. Different from AoS, more like DC’s arrow. Marvel has proven that its not stupid. These guys know what they are doing… Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt. Personally, I think Daredevil will be the most mature programming, heros for hire might be different… In any case..i want this soo much…

I Am Some What Disappointed Because I Really Wanted To See A Heroes For Hire Movie!! I Honestly Think A Marvel Knights Team Is More Appealing For A TV Show, Punisher, Daredevil, Blade, Ghost Rider,. That Would Be An Amazing Line Up 4 A TV Show. Im Not Sure If Marvel Has Rights Back For Ghost Rider Yet But Those 3 Alone Would Be Amazing. I Think Heroes For Hire Deserves Its Own Movie And Needs To Be Introduced On A Bigger Level.

I’m thinking the Kingpin will be a villain in all four shows, I think he’ll cross over, sending a gang to fight Cage in one show and managing the bizarre behaviour of typhoid mary in another. That would be truely cool. James Gandolfini would’ve been great… but Liev Schrieber would be good too.

And the battle rages on: DC adds Flash to Arrow, hints at more to come, adds Hourman! Good moves, hopefully. Then Marvel counters with Daredevil, Iron Fist, Power Man (Luke Cage), Jessica Jones, and Defenders! Let me tell you folks, it’;s a slobber-knocker, right here in this very ring, tonight! Let’s get ready to rruummbbllee!

People or the critics of this. Relax. Netflix has proven they have the finances to make good s***. Look at House of Cards. Does that look like a network TV show to you???? Hell no it sure does not to me. 75% likely that these new shows will look much better in quality. So give it a chance. Not everything is going to be bad. Possible, there could be lots of trial and error but it really depends who is part of these upcoming projects. By the way, shouldn’t Agent Carter be on the list? I might have missed something.

Boom! I called this a while ago. I didn’t think it would happen so soon but I knew that Marvel and eventually Dc would turn to companies like Netflix so they could market their other properties, deal with more adult content, and not have to worry about damaging their film continuity if a property goes south. I think this is gonna be great. I hope DC gets on it soon as well.